Those numbers are going to cause a flood of states to want to push for legalization.

You know pot's illegal because it's an effective way to control black, brown, and poor people.

It is a cliche. 7 figure house, they make a nice dinner, afterwards half the crowd is drinking prosecco, the other half are passing the joint.

Hundreds in annual renewals, and hundreds of dollars for cannabis products that are 75% cheaper in med/rec states out West.

ColumbiaCare is a disgrace to New York cannabis reform!

Oh, and don't give a positive urinalysis to your employer; either!

I have nothing against pot, it's great for nausea, but having a stoned country will let the bad guys get away with a lot.

My god, that's Reefer Madness talk!

And I teach 11th and 12th grade, and a stoned kid is a disengaged kid. He/she may think they are sharing seeds of brilliance, but they are really only navel gazing extra hard.

And I see your point. I don't know yet, as it isn't legal for rec use in NY.

In any case it is way to early to see what the long term impact on underage use is going to be.

Your logic that underage use will decline because its no longer forbidden is based on the mistaken premise that over time the status quo will remain the same and other factors will not be introduced. That is unlikely to happen.

The most likely outcome is that increased use will lead to national legalization. Once it is nationally legal powerful commercial forces will lead to advertising and marketing. Celebrities, sports stars and athletes will endorse and the most likely outcome is that there will be increased underage consumption.

That is not an argument not to legalize, there really is no other choice. Arguing that the decrease in underage usage in Colorado is a compelling reason for legalization is a weak argument in my opinion because a) its too premature to really know b) if the trend reverses then it would be a reason to criminalize pot, which isn't going to happen.

In any case the discussion is off point on the larger question "will it effect the political engagement of younger people". When I was in high school there were people who wanted to drink and smoke weed and those that were motivated to stand in the freezing snow to protest the war. We were engaged primarily because of the war and it became a lifelong reflex. Since the Iraq War and up to today I have attended dozens of demonstrations and they are overwhelming attended by white hairs.

Do I think that wide spread use of pot will decrease political activism by a large number of young people? No, I think that computer games has already done that. Turns out a play station is the opiate of the masses not religion. If underage pot smoking becomes endemic I think it will have an impact on the number of hours adolescents play "Call of Duty".

Can you imagine if somebody like Trump tried this shit in 1976? There would be massive and constant demonstrations, not because we are better than today's generation but because we were woken up by Vietnam.

trends. Obama's rally attracted nearly a hundred thousand in Portland, a city of 600,000, a proportional figure that I believe is unmatched for a similar event.

I can tell you that in numerous demonstrations in CA and AZ that I went to the over 55 crowd always represented more than half.

When I said that you are an enthusiast I was being descriptive. Decline in underage use of MJ in Colorado translates to decline everywhere. Similarly your statement "Statistically, Millennials are more engaged- and more liberal- than any generation in history." That is another example of your "enthusiasm".

In the last election the youth vote turnout was less than 2008 and Clinton got 5% less than Obama:

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2016/11/21/how-millennials-voted/

Neither of which could compare to the youth involvement of 1968-72. The point I was making wasn't that our generation was better (ala "get of my lawn&quot because we were more involved but that we were more involved because of the draft and Vietnam forced people to make very basic political decisions at the age of 18 that you don't have to now. If you were going to register with the draft as a CO you had to have that position researched and be willing to take life long legal consequences at age 18. That forced people to get politically involved in a way that they don't have to today.

gaming reduces political activism. lol. Widespread weed use will bring out unexpected problems just as criminalization did.

There are other factors in Oregon that have impacted on the level of political involvement including

a) voting by mail which enfranchises everyone.
b) high level of education
c) high proportion of urban to rural population
d) West Coast optimism

Adolescent cannabis use, alcohol abuse, opioid and pharmaceutical abuse are all down in states that have taken a common sense approach to cannabis reformation.

It's a shame to see that you mention you are a New York State educator, whom is clearly blinded by their personal anecdotal evidence, rather than confirmed research on the topic.

In 2014 this states medical cannabis law went into effect. It's almost mid 2017 and we still have no access to medical cannabis. Why? No dispensaries, not one. Dr.'s that can "recommend" it are few and far between. Getting a recommendation in Maryland is NOT the same as getting one in California, Oregon or Washington State. Kinda restrictive. Jumping through hoops would be easier. I've been told, by some, to "grow it." Not with an 11 year old, not to mention my wife. Oh yeah, we rent. My landlord wouldn't be cool with that, beings it's not allowed in this state. 58 y/o with no connections = no weed!

My mom (boomer if that matters) is against weed legalization because of the 'harmful effects' to which my response was watch any Big Pharma ad on TV where half of it is side effects. There's also a lot of otherwise liberal families with X generations of cops and opposed on that level.

I spent last fall in the Pacific Northwest (just outside of west coast Portland) and loved the culture there. In fact I'm in the process of selling my stuff so I can move back.

I also know that the opioid epidemic (which was not an epidemic when it only killed black people) is a real issue. And it's nice that you say use is down, but that isn't what we were discussing. We were discussing the effect it has on young brains, and even older brains, when abused. People become disengaged. Do YOUR research.

Be well...

The world has become an incredibly cruel hopeless and just generally fucked up place. The best I can hope for is to stay as anesthetized as possible.

Kids disengage for a variety of reasons and people like to use pot as the excuse. Maybe your son wasn't challenged enough. Maybe he didn't find his passion.

And don't tell me continual pot usage doesn't lower engagement in the world. Cause it's BS. Beside from teaching high school for 25 years, I am a substance abuse counselor.

Neither do my high school students.
You need some manners. Shame.

As a substance abuse counselor, you were mostly seeing the 'problem cases' where people did have an actual addiction problem. Plenty of people casually use cannabis and it doesn't dent their motivation so long as they don't go crazy with it. I always found it would inspire me come up with new projects and things to do the next day.

It's the same reason why some cops will think cannabis is evil. They tend to deal with criminals and other lowlifes on a regular basis. Obviously their experiences with cannabis users will be mostly negative.

I'd love nothing better than to use cannabis for pain relief. I know, from personal experience, cannabis can be used for chronic pain. I might not be able to fully get off opiates, but I sure could cut down the doses I take. Pretty simple, really. I agree with everything you've said.

sometimes a trip out to "Neptune" is beneficial, if you get my drift?

crapshoot. It was really good, alright, not good, or no buzz, at all. Then there was the "headache weed." Hated that crap!!

The West Coast, of course. Here on the Eastern seaboard we're about five years, give or take a year, or two, from legalization. At this time Maryland has a pro alcohol/anti cannabis governor, Larry Hogan. He's up for re-election in 2018. If defeated we may have legalization by 2019. If Hogan wins then not by 2023, at the earliest. It's frustrating!

Does it worry you that states with legal weed countries have fewer drug users?
Does it worry you that states with legal weed have more money for drug rehabilitation?

I could fill a few pages of these questions.

lolz to your post -- wut?

I enjoy growing it.

Weed is the solution to a lot of issues.

😀

last month you couldn't throw a rock and not hit a pot shop.
Even in tiny towns.

and browse...

some candy for my mom, yes my 80 year old mom for pain and appetite improvement after she fell and broke her hip.

Eleven thousand pounds of a product that comes in 10-pound bags is not all that impressive.

Eleven thousand pounds of a product sold by the 1/8-ounce is incredible.